I was happy with the new bike but it still didn't feel like MY bike so I made a few changes to the control positions but most importantly Robert from CKT worked with me to set the suspension up to make it a real weapon.
Qualifying
The track was wetish but not too bad so I chanced going out with dry tyres. I thought I did ok but with most other riders on full wets I was disappointed to be 11th on the grid, and even more so when I found out that the races were only 5 laps long.
Race 1
I had a simple plan to 'go hard' and see where I was after the first lap. An OK start but with a very thin turn 1 (due to oil spilage) meant that I got a bit boxed in. Had a bit of trouble trying to pass Paul Duncan with a couple of uncomfortably close calls but all good and put my head down to work my way through the pack. I crossed the line to start the last lap about 2 seconds behind Rob who was in the lead. At that point I thought my chance had gone but braking into turn 1 the gap shrunk noticibly. Robert Taylor had worked his magic on my front forks and I was able to comfortably brake later than I had ever done before. Before I knew it I was going up the inside of Rob at Higgins and possibly caught him out a bit to hold it over the line and win the race. That 5 lap race seemed to be over in seconds but it was loads of fun.
Race 2
This time I got a good start and caught up to Geoff and Rob earlier in the race. I took a bit of a breather as they battled it out for the lead. When I got past them I didn't look back but as I suspected this time they were lapping much quicker than the first race so when Rob come up the inside into Dunlop I adjusted my line to get better drive. Drafting Rob is like riding behing an 18 wheeler truck and I slithered past to take the win by 0.047 seconds. I can't think of anything cooler than racing bikes when you have races like that!
Race 3
I was determined to end the day on a high so made sure I got a good start again and just as in race two, I was following Geoff and Rob by then end of the first lap. I didn't want to have someone following me for too long like in the last race so I left it to the last lap and saw an oppurtunity to get by Geoff and Rob at the same time on the brakes into turn 1. I felt pretty cool when I pulled it off but Rob got a better drive out of the corner and got me back as we tipped into turn 2. Rob was going for it and I didn't get a chance to pass at Higgins so Dunlop it was then. Rob knew I would be there and took a defensive line but I was able to get the drive again and narrowly took the 3rd win for the day.
Thanks to the riders for all the great racing especially Rob Berrington-Smith.
All the races were decided on the last lap. Three different riders got the fastest lap time in each race - this is truly a competitve class this winter.
Thanks to Robert at CKT for getting the bike handling great and bearly wearing the tyres at all despite the cold conditions.
Thanks to Nation Wide Accessories for providing those excellent Pirelli tyres - I'm still using the same tyres that were used at the last round of the Nationals!
Thanks to my support crew and everyone who came to cheer us on.
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